SLB 2.0: Release Notes

By Sol in Lab

After 7 beta versions, 4 release candidates, and a huge amount of feedback from brave testers, Simple Lightbox 2.0 has been released!

A Fresh Start

SLB 2.0 represents a major update– nearly all of the code has been refactored, optimized, or rewritten. For example, a completely new lightbox implementation has been developed from the ground up with a focus on modularity, speed, and customizability.

For A Brighter Future

As more and more users started using SLB, requests for new features came flooding in. Some features were clearly great for everyone, while others were more niche. I wanted to give users everything they wanted and more, but then I had a flash of what such a future would look like.

Adding every feature would have made SLB bloated and slow, and then no one would be having fun.

Instead, SLB 2.0 is built to be extremely lean, with only essential features in the core. This will ensure that SLB remains fast now and into the future.

However, SLB 2.0 has also been built to be extensible in order to accommodate more specialized functionality. Using add-ons (see below), users can make SLB as specialized as they want.

New Features

Despite being completely rewritten, all of your favorite features such as compatibility with WordPress attachments and widgets, automatic link activation, keyboard navigation, and intelligent slideshows are still here. In addition, SLB 2.0 comes with a host of new features:

Automatic Resizing

Regardless of the size of a visitor’s browser, you can rest assured that your content will be fully in view thanks to automatic lightbox resizing. This optional feature makes sure that the lightbox’s contents are always the right size.

Mobile-Optimized Responsive Themes

Continuing the trend of optimizing user experience, SLB 2.0’s default themes are now responsive and optimized for mobile devices. This ensures that your content is presented perfectly on any screen.

Lightboxes have always been an issue on mobile devices, with strange behavior making them a hassle to use for mobile users. SLB 2.0 bridges the gap between lightboxes and mobile devices and makes them play nice.

Robust Theme Support

Themes are essential for seamlessly integrating SLB into any site. SLB 2.0 includes incredibly robust theme support that allows the lightbox to be fully customized.

Everything from the way the lightbox looks down to how it moves is fully controllable and customizable with themes.

I have been working with a select group of theme designers and developers to make the theme API as easy to use as it is powerful. The full theme API is slated to be opened up to everyone in the next update so that anyone can create themes for SLB.

Infinite Customization

Customization doesn’t stop with themes though. SLB 2.0 supports add-ons that allow for an infinite level of customization in virtually all areas.

The first add-ons are currently in development and will allow you to use SLB in completely new ways (Hint: lightboxes are great for more than just images…).

Feedback

Of course, SLB 2.0 would not have been possible without the awesome feedback from our contingent of brave testers. Their feedback took SLB from rough and ready beta versions to the production-ready powerhouse we have today.

For their contribution, brave testers are immortalized as the fixes for bugs they find are named in their honor. Here are just a few fixes named in honor of brave testers who contributed valiantly to SLB 2.0’s development:

Kevin’s Theory of Relativity

Prototype Anilator

Lucy’s in the Sky (without Gravity)

Unseen Zephyr

Want to get in on the fun?

Becoming a brave tester is easier than you think. Just sign up to be the first to know when there are new updates ready for testing. Brave testers also get exclusive access to other goodies, such unreleased software and more!

A New Beginning

SLB 2.0 has some awesome new features and functionality, but it really just scratches the surface of what’s to come for SLB. In reality, SLB 2.0 is just the foundation that the future of Simple Lightbox will be built upon.